Improving the quality of the daily ward round in a Plastic Surgery unit by adapting the SAFE Ward Round Tool of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Abstract

Aim Our goal was to audit the quality of the ward round documentation in our Plastic Surgery department by using the SAFE Ward Round Tool of the RCS Edinburgh’s as a reference standard, and to create an in-house pro-forma based on results and discussion. Method An initial cycle based on the SAFE Tool was undertaken with prospective audit of individual daily ward round entries. A sticker pro forma was introduced and re-audit was done using the same criteria. Based on results and discussion, the pro-forma was further improved. Re-audit was performed to assess percentage of completion of its contents. Results The first cycle showed 47% (n = 42) completion rate and re-audit after implementation of the sticker found a rise up to 70% (n = 42). The third cycle examining solely sticker completion yielded a compliance of 88% (n = 61). This improvement reflected to the enthusiastic comments received from staff working in allied specialties. Conclusions Significant lapses in daily ward round documentation were revealed by our methodology. A sticker pro-forma, which we have named the Surgical Tool for the Assessment of Rounds (STAR), was introduced and provided measurable and sustainable improvements on our daily ward round practice. That had as a result the safeguarding of patient safety in the frame of Good Medical Practice. We suggest same methodology to be followed based on the SAFE Ward Round Tool for surgical ward rounds improvement in all the surgical and interventional specialties particularly when there is a component of emergency admission in their daily practice

Interventions to Improve Patient Care on Surgical Ward Rounds: A Systematic Review

“…The database search yielded a total of 3362 results, from which a total of 28 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis (Fig. 1) [3, 5, 9, 12–14, 21, 26–46].…”

In a time of crisis, reaching for tools to improve patient safety

“…Koumoullis and colleagues audited the quality of ward round documentation in a Scottish Plastic Surgery department using the SAFE Ward Round Tool. 14 They found that implementation produced measurable and sustained improvements in daily ward round practice.…”